Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara's cool, west-east running valleys channel ocean fog to produce acclaimed Burgundian-style Pinot Noir and Chardonnay plus Rhône varieties, made famous by the film Sideways.
Fast facts
At a glance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Climate | Cool, coastal, strong marine influence |
| Geography | Central Coast region of Southern California with east-west valleys |
| Key appellations | Santa Rita Hills · Santa Ynez Valley · Sta. Rita Hills · Alisos Canyon |
| Main grapes | Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, Grenache |
| Famous for | Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir, Sideways, Cool-climate Chardonnay |
Grapes
Signature grapes of Santa Barbara
The varieties that define this region's wines.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is Burgundy's great gift to the wine world — light in colour yet profound in flavour, haunting in i…
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is the world's most planted white grape and a remarkable blank canvas for terroir and winemaking. F…
Syrah / Shiraz
Syrah (known as Shiraz in Australia) is one of the world's great black grapes, capable of extraordinary power …
Grenache / Garnacha
Grenache (Garnacha in Spain) is one of the world's most widely planted grapes, thriving in hot, dry climates f…
Nearby
Related regions
Explore neighbouring wine areas.
Wine travel
Visiting Santa Barbara
The Danish village of Solvang, the Funk Zone wine district in Santa Barbara and the coastal Sta. Rita Hills make a scenic trip.
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